THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2659 |
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
H.D. 1 |
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C.D. 1 |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO REGENERATIVE TOURISM.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
"§201B‑ Tourism functional plan. Pursuant to section 226-55, the authority, in coordination with the office of planning and sustainable development, shall prepare and periodically update the tourism functional plan to include tourism economic goals set out in chapter 226, the authority's strategic plan, and the Hawaii 2050 sustainability plan."
SECTION 2. Section 226-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
"(b) To achieve the visitor industry objective, it
shall be the policy of [this] the State to:
(1) Support and assist in the promotion of
Hawaii's visitor attractions and facilities[.];
(2) Ensure that visitor industry activities
are in keeping with the social, economic, and physical needs and aspirations of
Hawaii's people[.];
(3) Improve the quality of existing visitor
destination areas by utilizing Hawaii's strengths in science and technology[.];
(4) Encourage cooperation and coordination
between the government and private sectors in developing and maintaining
well-designed, adequately serviced visitor industry and related developments [which]
that are sensitive to neighboring communities and activities[.];
(5) Develop the industry in a manner that
will [continue]:
(A) Continue to provide new job
opportunities and steady employment for Hawaii's people[.];
(B) Commit to building the capacity of
Hawaii's people; and
(C) Offer career opportunities to ultimately increase the percentage of Hawaii's people who hold management and leadership positions in the visitor industry;
(6) Provide opportunities for Hawaii's
people to obtain job training and education that will allow for upward mobility
within the visitor industry[.];
(7) Foster a recognition of the
contribution of the visitor industry to Hawaii's economy and the need to
perpetuate the aloha spirit[.];
(8) Foster an understanding by visitors of
the aloha spirit and of the unique and sensitive character of Hawaii's cultures
and values[.];
(9) Form community partnerships to
ensure Native Hawaiian cultural integrity by:
(A) Supporting Hawaii's people and communities and their efforts to care for the land and protect the cultural and natural resources of the land, oceans, streams, and skies;
(B) Strengthening the relationships
between the place and Hawaii's people and visitors alike;
(C) Engaging in collaborative efforts
that provide visitors with genuine and meaningful experiences in Hawaii;
(D) Ensuring that kapu (prohibited) and
environmentally sensitive contexts are protected from visitor traffic;
(E) Positioning local business owners
and entrepreneurs in the economic value chain to ensure more meaningful visitor
and resident engagement as well as economic benefit to local communities; and
(F) Acknowledging and, where
appropriate, protecting Native Hawaiian cultural intellectual property,
traditional knowledge, and traditional cultural expressions that contribute to
Hawaii's economy;
(10) Apply innovative financial policies
as well as data collection and analysis to incentivize and facilitate a shift
to a regenerative visitor industry that has a smaller ecological footprint by implementing
policies such as decreasing the impacts on beaches, reefs, and ocean life, and
that aims to sustain and improve the quality of life for Hawaii's people by implementing
policies such as decreasing the impacts of transient accommodations, vacation rentals,
bed and breakfast operations, and rental cars;
(11) Target markets that have a high
probability of alignment with the goal of cultivating a regenerative visitor
industry;
(12) Actively support and encourage other
economic sectors and clusters to reduce the State's dependence on tourism to
support Hawaii's overall economic prosperity;
(13) Minimize negative economic,
environmental, and social impacts to the State;
(14) Generate greater economic benefits
for Hawaii's people, enhance the well-being of Hawaii's indigenous communities,
and improve the working conditions of and access to the visitor industry;
(15) Involve Hawaii's people in decisions
that affect their lives and life changes;
(16) Make positive contributions to the
conservation of natural and cultural heritage for the maintenance of Hawaii's
diversity;
(17) Provide more enjoyable experiences
and a greater understanding of local cultural, social, and environmental issues
for visitors through more meaningful connections with Hawaii's people; and
(18) Provide equitable access for individuals with disabilities and sociologically disadvantaged people that is culturally sensitive, engenders respect between visitors and Hawaii's people, and builds pride and confidence in Hawaii."
SECTION 3. Once the Hawaii tourism authority prepares and submits an updated tourism functional plan pursuant to this Act and section 226‑56, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the governor shall transmit the approved tourism functional plan to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2025.
SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Report Title:
Hawaii
Tourism Authority; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Objectives
and Policies; Visitor Industry; Tourism Functional Plan
Description:
Incorporates a regenerative framework into the Hawaii State Planning Act by expanding objectives and policies for the visitor industry. Requires periodic updates to the Tourism Functional Plan, specifies elements to be included in the Tourism Functional plan, and requires an update to the Tourism Functional Plan to be submitted to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2025. (CD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.